Judge weighs new Motel 6 settlement in immigration lawsuit

PHOENIX — A revised settlement for Motel 6 guests who say the national chain invaded their privacy by giving their information to immigration authorities is returning to court Friday for a judge's review.

A federal judge is to decide during an afternoon hearing on the new proposal making $10 million available for awards to claims by members of the class action suit.

A class member could get $75 if they were a registered guest, up to $10,000 if they were placed in deportation proceedings as a result of having their information shared and as much as $200,000 if a person incurred legal fees to defend his or her presence in the United States.

The proposed settlement also expands the class to include guests at Motel 6 between February 2015 and June 2019.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund sued Motel 6 in January 2018, saying that giving guests' information to immigration agents without a warrant violated privacy and civil rights laws.

The chain's owner, G6 Hospitality LLC in Carrollton, Texas, said it later issued a directive banning the practice.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich earlier this year asked U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell not to approve the earlier version of the agreement between the two sides, saying that only a fraction of the thousands of people directly connected to the case would benefit because most of the money would have gone to migrant advocacy groups.

Campbell denied Brnovich's request because the sides had told the court they were renegotiating the agreement.

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